Process for the charging of projectiles with a high-explosive bursting charge.



BURSTING CHARGE.

PROCESS FOR THE GHARGIN APPLIOATION FILED APR. 25. 1907.

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PROCESS FOR THE CHARGING 0F PROJECTILES WITH A HIGH EXPLOSIVB BURSTING CHARGE.

APPLIUATION FILED APB.25. 1907 Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

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Pagented A H. MAXIM. PROCESS FOR THE CHARGING OF PROJBOTILES WITH A HIGH EXPLOSIVE BURSTING GHARG APPLICATION FILED APR-25, 1907- 988,886.

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PROCESS FOR THE CHARGING OF PROJECTILES WITH A HIGH-EXPLOSIVE BURSTING CHARGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Original application filed February 13, 1905, Serial No. 245,547. Divided and this application filed April 25, 1907. Serial No. 370,271.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUDSON MAXIM, of Brooklyn, New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes for the Charging of Projectiles with a High-Explosive Bursting Charge, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

The present invention relates to a novel process for the charging of projectiles with a high explosive bursting charge; and has for its object the more rapid, efiicient and economical charging or loading of projectiles than heretofore possible, and furthermore to secure a solid, compact or non-porous charge, free from air bubbles or spaces.

In carrying out the invention, the high explosive in a fused or plastic or semi-fluid condition is charged into the projectile through a tube extending through a false base plug to the front end of the charge chamber and starts to fill the same from that end, expelling the air backwardly through a vent provided in said plug until the chamber is completely, compactly and solidly filled to the exclusion of all air. The projectiles are placed in an upright position upon trucks, moved one at a time under a filling nozzle, which nozzle is connected to a hydraulic or other power press provided with a water jacket throu h which hot water is circulated and into whlch the plastic material is charged and maintained in a condition of plasticity. The nozzle which is capable of being raised or lowered at will is, when the shell is brought under it, lowered and connected as by a bayonet joint or other coupling, with the usual false base plug. The charging nozzle consists of a simple device hereinafter described in detail, which permits of a tube being passed down through the false base plug nearly to the forward end of the shell chamber. Pressure is then exerted upon the paste in the press, causing it to flow through the pipe or tube and to be discharged into the shell with any desired rapidity and force. The shell is first filled up to the false base plug, surrounding the tube, thereby forcing all of the air out of the shell through a vent in the base plug provided for the purpose. When the air has been completely expelled and the paste ltself begins to appear through the petcock provided for closing the air vent, the petcock is shut ofi. This causes the pressure in the shell to mount higher and higher, which causes the tube to be forced back, compressmg a sprlng at its rear end until the tube has been displaced by the explosive and. the entire shell has become solidly filled with the exploslve paste. Then the nozzle is detached and a new shell run into position, when the operation is repeated. The apparatus 1s so simple, the ease and rapidity with whlch the charging nozzle may be attached and detached from the projectile, and the speed at which the paste may be charged into the projectile, render it obvious that but very little time will be required for filling projectiles in this manner.

The explosive material which I prefer to employ is that which by the fusion of one of the ingredients in which a non-fusible ingredlent is suspended, forms a paste, plastic in nature, of a doughy or pasty consistency, and capable of flowing freely under pres sure, the fusible ingredient melting easily in the water bath.

The high explosive may be either melted or rendered plastic in a steam-jacketed kettle, or over a water bath, and then charged into the supply cylinder in that condition, or the material may be charged into the supply cylinder in powdered form, and there be fused or rendered plastic by the heat of the hot water jacket with which the cylinder is surrounded.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one form of apparatus by the use of which the process of this application may be practiced, and wherein- Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus, the projectile to be filled with the explosive paste being represented as borne by a wheeled truck running on a pair of track rails, the telescopic nozzle being in its elevated position; Fig. 2 is a similar view, partially in section showing the telescopic nozzle in position to commence the filling of the projectile; and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views of the nozzle portion of the filling tube showing it in its different positions, 2'. 6., the nozzle in its idle or up ward position, (4) in its position connected to the false base plug, and finally (5) in its operative filling position.

The explosive mixture, preferably in plastic or pasty condition, is charged into a vertical cylinder 20, provided with a power operated piston 21, to force the material through the charging pipe and nozzle into the projectile under any desired pressure. The cylinder has a water jacket 24 surrounding it, through which a circulation of hot water is maintained by inlet and outlet pipes 25, 26, to keep the explosive in a proper condition to be forced outward through the pipe or tube to the shell being loaded. The flexible feed pipe 27, is cletachably connected to a valved nozzle 22, communicating with the supply cylinder at its bottom. This flexible feed pipe passes partially around a pendulous sheave '28, and up over an upper sheave 29, turning in fixed bearings and terminating in a steel tube 30, forming a guide for an outer telescopic tube, extension or nozzle 31 for insertion in and withdrawal from the chamber of the projectile. The pendulous sheave is arranged to give and take the slack of the flexible pipe between the upper sheave and the cylinder nozzle.

The feed pipe 27 has a shut off valve 23, and just below it and above the guide tube 30 is provided with an upper head 32, and the upper end of the nozzle also has a head 33, and between the two heads and around the tube 30 is interposed a coiled spring 3 1 for extending the telescopic nozzle downward. Below the head of the nozzle and forming a stop therefor is another head 35 having a bayonet or screw joint for coupling to the false base plug 40. The upper ead 32 and the head 35 are connected rigidly together by a sleeve 36 incasing the coiled spring (and the head of the telescopic nozzle) and provided with a spring latch 10 for engaging a recess 11 in the head of the nozzle for holding it in its withdrawn position 011 the guide tube 30 against the force of the coiled spring. The false base plug L0 has a valved vent 12 for the escape and regulation of the escape of air from the charge of the projectile.

When not doing duty, the charging tube and nozzle hang suspended from the upper sheave, as in Fig. 1, with its lower end at a sufiicient height to permit the movement of a projectile into place directly beneath it. WVhen a projectile is brought into position to becharged, the attendant pulls the nozzle downwardly, thereby drawing the flexible tube over the upper sheave and rocking the pendulous sheave outwardly, as in Fig. 2, to cause it to give out length of pipe enough to allow the end of the nozzle to be inserted in the base plug and the bayonet joint head into the projectile.

to be coupled thereto, as shown in Fig. 3.

The spring latch 10 is then pulled out-1 wardly, freeing the telescopic nozzle tube which, under the force of the coiled spring is projected to a point near the bottom or forward end of the charge chamber of the projectile, as in Figs. 2 and 3. The valve 23 is then opened and the vent 12 being open, whereupon the material under pressure. is

forced rapidly through the pipe and nozzle The peteock 13 will be left open until the chamber is entirely filled to the exclusion of all air, whereupon on closing the peteock and continuing the feed of the explosive paste, the telescopic nozzle under the rise in pressure in the charge chamber will be made to retreat, against the pressure of the coiled spring, by the incoming explosive pushing it upward and occupying its place until the lower end of the nozzle has been pushed even with the false base plug, when the spring latch will catch and engage the head of the nozzle and hold it in its elevated or withdrawn position compressing the spring, as shown in Fig. 4. The valve 23 is then closed and the bayonet joint uncoupled, whereupon the tube and nozzle automatically return to their up position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, by the weight of the By loading the charge chamber of the'projectile from its front end and filling the same from that end the incoming material takes the place of the air as fast as it is displaced thereby and escapes through the vent, and in this manner not only are all air spaces in the material avoided, but by causing the material to flow rearwardly along the walls of the shell chamber, they are more effectually wetted thereby and a better and closer contact of the material with the walls is secured.

The apparatus disclosed in this application is not herein claimed, the same forming the subject-matter of application Sr. No. 245,547, filed February 13, 1905, of which this application is a division.

What is claimed is:

1. The herein-described process of charging shell with an explosive, which consists in forming the explosive into a paste and forcing the paste into the front end of the shell space, and from the front end of the shell space to its rear end.

2. The herein-described process of charg- In testimony whereof I have signed this ing projectiles with an explosive, which conspecification in the presence of two subscribsists in forcing an explosive While in a plasing Witnesses.

tic condition, to the front end of the charge HUDSON MAXIM. 5 chamber, filling the same rearwardly from \Vitnesses:

that end While maintaining a central passage S. T. CAMERON,

therethrough and then filling said passage. W. B. KERKAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

